The French Horn Inn
THE FRENCH HORN INN, 56, HIGH STREET
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1237669
- Date first listed:
- 08-May-1950
- List Entry Name:
- The French Horn Inn
- Statutory Address:
- THE FRENCH HORN INN, 56, HIGH STREET
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2001-07-23
- Reference:
- IOE01/03902/30
- Rights:
- © Mr A. Gude. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1237669
- Date first listed:
- 08-May-1950
- List Entry Name:
- The French Horn Inn
- Statutory Address 1:
- THE FRENCH HORN INN, 56, HIGH STREET
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- THE FRENCH HORN INN, 56, HIGH STREET
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Hertfordshire
- District:
- East Hertfordshire (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Ware
- National Grid Reference:
- TL 35848 14337
Details
WARE TOWN
TL3514SE HIGH STREET 829-1/9/109 (North side) 08/05/50 No.56 The French Horn Inn
GV II*
Former inn range, now retracted, with present public house accessible from Church Street, and commercial ground floor with living accommodation over High Street buildings. C16 and C17, High Street range set back and refronted c1849, with later alterations. Timber-framed, front range encased in brick and part stuccoed over, rear range stucco first floor, underbuilt in brick. Old tiled roofs, concealed by tall parapet on front range. EXTERIOR: front range 2 storeys and attics. First floor colourwashed brick, stucco parapet above, stucco ground floor. First floor west elevation 3 mid C19 triple-light, plate glazed sash windows in reveal below flat arches, one similar to south elevation. Moulded cornice below windows. Ground floor has 2 inserted mid C20 shopfronts with plate glass display windows facing west, one facing south. North elevation C17, 2 storeys and attics, stucco-faced, with 2 sash windows with glazing bars on ground floor and first floors, one casement on first floor. North face of roof has box casement dormer to attic. Public house currently occupies north-east range. C17, timber-framed, stucco-faced, old tiled roof. 2 storeys, first floor with 2 flush set sash windows with glazing bars, two C20 3-light sash windows on yellow brick underbuilt ground floor, and C20 closed brick porch with gabled old tiled roof. Single storey range of former stables runs north towards detached coach house, listed separately (qv). INTERIOR: the principle internal feature is a mid C17 newel staircase constructed within the northern part of the south range to serve the new block of taller rooms, and those in the older parts of the south range, reached from the half-landings (RCHM). The staircase is of open-well plan. The newels have heavily moulded finials and pierced pendants. The staircase is of closed string construction with moulded strings. The handrails are heavily moulded, and each flight and landing has carved, pierced panels featuring geometrical motifs. HISTORICAL NOTE: the French Horn is one of the most historic inn sites in Ware, but subsequent division into several properties and partial demolition, and later remodelling makes the plan difficult to interpret. The ground floor projected further southwards into High Street, and was jettied on both the High Street and Church Street frontages, with a dragon post on the corner. The adjoining buildings to the east, Nos 54 and 54b (qv) appear to have formed part of the premises, which had multiple gables, facing south and west. The inn was refurbished early to mid C17, and extended on the north, and the present north front, facing the former inn yard, dates from that period. The approach to the inn yard was from Church Street, known earlier as French Horn Lane, with a long range of outbuildings along its frontage, demolished early C20. There was also a narrow yard to the east, approached beneath No.54b. Although greatly reduced in size, The French Horn is the only major historic inn site in Ware which retains its original use and name. Listed as Grade II* for the exceptional quality of the staircase. (Edwards E and Perman D: Ware's Past In Pictures: Ware: 1991-: 10, 11, 135; Hunt EM: The History of Ware: Hertford: 1986-1946: 105-106; Smith JT: English Houses 1200-1800. The Hertfordshire Evidence: London: 1992-: 172, 173; Smith JT: Hertfordshire Houses. Selective Inventory: London: 1993-: 198; Ware 25" to 1 Mile. Surveyed by the Ordnance Survey Department: 1851-; Forrester H: Timber Framed Buildings in Hertford and Ware: Hitchin: 1964-: 39-40; Branch Johnson W: Hertfordshire Inns: Letchworth: 1962-: 98; Transactions of the East Hertfordshire Archaeological Society: Hunt EM: The French Horn: 1945-1949: 138-9; Moodey GE: East Hertfordshire Archaeological Society Newsletter: 1, 4: Hertford: 1949-1954).
Listing NGR: TL3584814337
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 412346
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Edwards, , Perman, , Wares Past in Pictures, (1991), 10
Edwards, , Perman, , Wares Past in Pictures, (1991), 11
Edwards, , Perman, , Wares Past in Pictures, (1991), 135
Hunt, E M, The History of Ware 1986-1946, (1986), 105-106
Forrester, H, Timber Framed Buildings in Hertford and Ware, (1964), 39-40
Smith, J T, English Houses 1200-1800 The Hertfordshire Evidence, (1992), 172-173
Smith, J T, Hertfordshire Houses Selective Inventory, (1993), 198
Branch Johnson, W, Hertfordshire Inns A handbook of Old Hertfordshire Inns and Beer Houses, (1962), 98
Transactions of the East Hertfordshire Archaeological Society in Transactions of the East Hertfordshire Archaeological Society, (1945)
Transactions of the East Hertfordshire Archaeological Society in Transactions of the East Hertfordshire Archaeological Society, (1946)
Transactions of the East Hertfordshire Archaeological Society in Transactions of the East Hertfordshire Archaeological Society, (1947)
Transactions of the East Hertfordshire Archaeological Society in Transactions of the East Hertfordshire Archaeological Society, (1948)
East Hertfordshire Archaeological Society Newsletter in East Hertfordshire Archaeological Society Newsletter, (1949)
Transactions of the East Hertfordshire Archaeological Society in Transactions of the East Hertfordshire Archaeological Society, (1949)
East Hertfordshire Archaeological Society Newsletter in East Hertfordshire Archaeological Society Newsletter, (1950)
East Hertfordshire Archaeological Society Newsletter in East Hertfordshire Archaeological Society Newsletter, (1951)
East Hertfordshire Archaeological Society Newsletter in East Hertfordshire Archaeological Society Newsletter, (1952)
East Hertfordshire Archaeological Society Newsletter in East Hertfordshire Archaeological Society Newsletter, (1953)
East Hertfordshire Archaeological Society Newsletter in East Hertfordshire Archaeological Society Newsletter, (1954)
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
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